Craig Jarrow

1. Command your technology, don’t let it control you.

Are you in command of your productivity tools or do you let them control you?

Do you find yourself in your inbox all day or answering your phone no matter where you are?

For technology to be useful, you need to be in command. You need to decide whether the phone ringer should be on mute. Maybe the email notification system should be turned off so that you check emails only twice or thrice a day at a designated time.

Unless you are a customer service rep, do you really need to be available all day long?

Your bosses, colleagues and clients might expect you to be available all the time.

Set some limits to these expectations.

Don’t forget – tech is supposed to help you get work done…real work!

2. How about a closed door policy?

You are working on something on your own.

You are totally immersed in your work and it’s going great so far.

And then knock knock!

Before you know it, you have spent 10 minutes in a conversation. When you get back to your work, it takes some time for your concentration to return.

If you are like most people, you don’t enjoy interruptions.

Do something about those interruptions.

When you are working on something creative or analytical, something that requires isolation…

Close your door

Communicate that you don’t want to be disturbed for a while

If you don’t have your own office, put on headphones to show that you don’t want to be disturbed.